Blitz 2023: Hype and Rec Thread

[Phoenixsong]

Weekly Fic Rec: In Too Deep by Erazon (and also Way Out)

Haven't had anywhere near the focus I'd like this week to catch up on the approximately five million fics I needed to catch up on, so I did mostly have to stick to just the one fairly light and breezy with what little time I had left. But I haven't regretted a moment of it! In Too Deep is an anthology of one-shots set in Erazon's Pokémon Legends: Arceus AU, and it's full of great snapshots and in-between moments of not only the characters from the original game, like Prof. Laventon, Volo and Dawn, but also Cynthia and her colleague-friend-???-it's-complicated Prof. Luculia Hiver, who have also been sent back in time to Hisui for as-yet unknown reasons. Heck, it even touches on how modern Sinnoh and beyond are dealing with the transported characters' absences. E4 Aaron copium is not something I thought I'd see or need but boy, it's fun. The character work and dialogue (and banter) are fantastic here, and provide an excellent deeper dive into the heads of these people at various points in time. The worldbuilding surrounding Hisui/modern Sinnoh and the deeper mysteries at work behind both PLA and bits of DPPt is also fun to see sprinkled in.

It's worth mentioning that In Too Deep is a companion piece rather than 100% standalone, and the piece it's a companion to is Erazon's webcomic, Way Out. Which you should absolutely read when you get a chance, if you haven't! The art's fun and fantastic and the characters, both original and familiar, shine just as bright. Your understanding of the one-shots and characters will be enhanced by knowing context from the comic, but thankfully reading the comic ahead of time isn't required and the stories all do a great job holding up on their own. Seems like plenty of people have checked out ITD even without that context and enjoyed it very much, so you won't be alone! If you really want to avoid missing out, the "prequel" stories listed under "Before Way Out" in the index don't require any of it, and the Halloween special "Bad Moon Rising" also stands on its own wonderfully (as well as cleverly integrating Bloodmoon Ursaluna into the background lore of the Diamond and Pearl clans while it's at it).

And then go read Way Out when you're done with those. Just trust me, fam.

 

[kintsugi]

i read more than like 2 things this week so rather than wrestle with decision paralysis i will just shill a little bit from all of them.

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 3

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The Last Strike by Pen

Zaz is a corviknight named for a shield. On the eve of the Galar League she must decide if she can live up to her name, and if it's worth it.

This is a dense, richly-packed story that layers in character motivations and backstories to flesh out a trio of detailed, sympathetic characters in under a thousand words, and then uses the remaining few thousand words to rip out your heart because unfortunately all these characters end up at odds with one another from the very first line--you can like someone without loving them, just as you can love without liking them.

There's also some lovely turns of phrase, a scattering of pokeworld myths, and explorations of Galar's sponsorship system and taxi infrastructure.

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Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo by Starlight Aurate

Tapu Lele's dex entries describe a pokemon known to offer healing to those who ask. They also describe Tapu Lele as guiltless, violent, nature incarnate. As it would turn out, it is possible to be both.

Written for the Myths and Legends contest, and as such from Tapu Lele's POV, this story describes the lush island of Akala and its peaceful inhabitants, watched over by their benevolent goddess. Unfortunately, soon enough war comes, and with it the fragmenting of this relationship. I thought this story had some beautifully rich imagery and sets up a pre-canon Alola wonderfully.

This is very much a story about trauma, violence, and war (though it is also about healing)--note the cw's at the start of the story prior to proceeding.

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Storm in a Teacup by kyeugh

Wes is tasked with finding and capturing a shadow pokemon on the outskirts of Orre. Everything goes mostly how he expects, which is to say, Wes is horribly traumatized and also a pessimist.

This story does a lot with a low word count, especially in regards to character backstories and scene-setting. There's some beautiful detailing describing the house everything takes place in, and it really makes the story feel snappy and alive despite it being, for the most part, everyone sitting quietly outside of and then inside of and then beneath an entirely empty house. It's also got hurt/comfort and very healthy people drinking tea.

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favored equilibriums by Pen
like avatar the last airbender? hate the part where everyone got a cathartic ending to their character arc that left them and the world around them changed for the better?

Shitposts aside, I think this is an incredible character study and, through telling an alternate ending, gets to the heart of what felt so satisfying and earned about the canon story instead. Non-pokemon.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, it's that time again with a little under a day on the clock to spare before the week closes. I waffled a bit on what I wanted to give the spotlight for this week, but in the end I decided to go with my heart for my nomination:

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 3​

Free to a Loving Home by @Ambyssin

So my recommendation this week is Dark-Clothed Small Human's longer, Galarian cousin with the first-person narration swapped out for second-person narration. Okay, that's selling this one-shot quite a bit short, but more seriously, it's a very heartfelt gap-filling backstory to the Galarian postgame Type: Null in which Ambyssin attempts to show how that state of affairs might have landed said Type: Null in that position.

I know that Ambyssin can be a touch self-critical about this story, and while there were a couple bones that I had to pick with it, it was honestly cute and endearing enough that they're ultimately minor matters in the grand scheme of things for its ride. Amby's always had a bit of a thing for Type: Null and Silvally, and he really lets his love for the species shine here with an immersive xenofiction perspective that does a great job at getting into its character's head and the highs and lows of his journey to a place he can call home.

Just remember to check your eyes after reading, you might find some unexpected sand in them after reading.

Silly Human, Romance is for Nidoran~! by @Venia Silente , Stable, Predictable, Safe by @unrepentantAuthor , In Vino Veritas by @Blackjack Gabbiani , 109 by @canisaries

 

[tomatorade]

Weekly fic rec:

The Cake is Ready

I'm normally a character guy so it feels a little strange to veer off that track for the moment, but for the problems I had with it, I loved the bold considerations of format here. There's changes in type, use of music and skewing paragraphs to acheive certain effects. It can be pointedly jarring at time, which fits the whump and the character's journey as a whole. And of course, the character is still there. It follows a flygon (naturally lol) and their growth as a pokemon. I love a lot of little touches here, the devolution-evolution concept is apt. Baking a cake is an inspired metaphor for patience in self-improvement. I've always loved cooking as a constructive, wholesome act.

Anyways, I loved this little fic. The whump was very whump but it still ended on a wholesome note and is worth a read.

Also shoutouts to Kyeugh's Storm in a Teacup. I didn't read it for this week's theme, but it was still a great oneshot about Orre's Wes being forced to face his past.

 

[Starlight Aurate]

I've got two three one-shots that I strongly recommend for Week 3:

First is Negrek's What Was Left Behind. It starts out with a Zoroark who's blinded with hatred after being betrayed by other Zoroark in her skulk and escaping from their assassination attempt against her. She flees into an icy cave, feeling sick and feverish, kept only alive by her desire for revenge. She quickly runs into Kyurem, who's keeping himself locked away inside the cave and keeps her company as she tries to return to health while plotting revenge on her attempted assassins. She starts out mocking and belittling Kyurem for willingly staying in a cave while "the other parts" of him are elsewhere. As the story goes on, the Zoroark realizes that she and Kyurem have a LOT more in common than she thought, and she starts to allow him to console her.

Negrek's prose is sublime, and the story does a beautiful way of showcasing how betrayal trauma can literally turn someone sick with rage--and that, sometimes, healing from that trauma requires being further traumatized and broken in a different way. It's a story both tragic and heartwarming, and definitely worth a read.


Another recommendation is love's Silver Raft. It's a PMD microfic, but that doesn't stop it from telling a compelling story. A Vaporeon is having unwanted memories come back to him, but he wants to just himself in the beauty of the sea. For something so short, the story does a great job of displaying a severed relationship and has absolutely gorgeous imagery of the aquatic realm. love's prose is very poetic and sucks you right in, all while showing a cute, happy Vaporeon living his life--and deliberately pushing away the memories of those who might call him to something else.


Lastly, but certainly not least, Pizza with a Slice of Pain by zion of arcadia is an absolute delight to read. A furret named Eloise lives in the Mystery Dungeon of Mt. Trevail (whom she has named "Travis" and plays chess with!), though she dearly misses her human life and the pizzeria she and her grandpa used to work in together. A Grimmsnarl named Raine Whiffletwist (not just Raine, mind you, he only goes by his full name) loves being the center of attention and having all eyes on him--he pretends to have also been a former human turned into a Pokemon for the sake of sounding cool, and goes along with Eloise to listen to her talk about her former life. As the two get to know each other, they form an unlikely friendship involving a sentient dungeon, obstacle courses, and (of course) pizza. It's a comedic tale with plenty of heartwarming moments and may make you crave some pizza!

 

[HelloYellow17]

Not a rec for this week, but last week’s theme! And it goes to:

Legendary Adventures by @Flyg0n ! Seriously, this series is so charming and lighthearted, while also still managing to tackle characters’ issues and insecurities. It’s a delightful, jovial jaunt and makes one feel like they are living within the anime itself. It has all the classic ingredients of a journeyfic without actually being about the badge quest, which is quite refreshing, and features the most teenage protagonist of all time who is constantly learning from his mistakes and, above all, his Pokémon. He is a delightfully flawed character—not horrible but also no saint—and his character growth is a big highlight of the series for me. The second biggest highlight being the Pokémon themselves, each with very distinct personalities, battling styles, and individually unique relationships with their trainer.

Come for the escapism, stay for the Pokémon bearing with their Very Wise teenage trainer as he makes the smartest decisions at all times.

Honorable mentions:

White Swan, Black Swan by @Sinderella
Foregone Conclusion by @elyvorg
Timeslip by @Nekodatta

(Links and descriptions for these fics TBA when it’s not almost 1AM for me oops)

 

[HelloYellow17]

And now for

Week 3 Fic Rec:

Without a Master by @kyeugh
​

It was so very hard to choose which one to make my “formal” rec of the week, because I have read some truly incredible fics this week. But this one just…really got me, with its themes and raw emotion and the very sympathetic, flawed, messy main character, Tetsuya. Tetsuya is a struggling single parent who is trying and failing to pay the bills with his work as a Rocket grunt. He’s floundering and in despair, until an opportunity falls into his lap…one that would solve all his immediate problems, but would come at a heavy cost.

The supporting character, Hayato, is equally delightful for very different reasons, among them being his contagious enthusiasm for absolutely everything, his faith in Tetsuya even when it was undeserved, and his capacity for understanding, empathy, and stubborn optimism in others.

This is a story about choices. Not just right versus wrong, but about the luxury of having choices, the terror of the unknown, and the fact that, even when backed into a corner, one can make choices for themself.

It’s beautifully written, the prose flows in the most engaging way, and it has several hair-raising moments that go unabashedly hard. If you had to choose one fic to read before this week is over, I highly suggest this one!

[Honorable mentions TBA]

 

[K_S]

Week three rec
Butterfree v3

Why i am recing it:
Trainerfic, check. Tackling the pros and cons of letting little kids rear and train other human intellegence creatures, check.

This story starts with a kid with a dream and a love of the glass canon, kanto disk one nuke, butterfly... And shows her slowly realizing the limitations of her favorote bug and doing what most trainers do. Indulge a bit of denial, shovel vitamins at it, drag the critter through specialty training, then box the critter mid journey and not (often or willingly) look back.

Because looking back is guilt and most kids arent willing or able to deal witht that level of complexity.

The story explores the impact of the boxing choice. Because her bug is more than a battler. Butterfree serves as an emotional support ally, builsing relationships within the trainers team and with the putside world outside of the combat she comes todread... And cant do anythi gg about it. Loses it all because a decision made by her trainer takes that away. Its not for forever, but its for long enough that there are repricussions.

This fic explores the fallout of willy nilly boxing a mon and the damage it can do not only to the bixed but everyone around them..

 

[Flyg0n]

Week 3 Rec

Searching for a Resolution

I gotta hard rec this delightful one-shot for anyone who enjoys some complicated dillemmas in fictional worlds, and drama and emotional turmoil from Keldeo. Searching for a Resolution is about the Swords of Justice's 4th member, Keldeo, and follows him on a very routine mission that he undertakes for the guild. Except nothing is that simple. What unfolds afterwards is a tightly written, fascinating situation wherein Keldeo is forced to confront both his past, and his own truths and ideals. I think anyone who enjoys the complicated sort of situations in the Black and White games, or likes the Swords or Keldeo, or even just a hopeful story about struggling for a better future and how to find a way forward would enjoy this one.

There's solid emotional angst and, heh, a great... resolution ;)


Shoutout to:
Life - Celebi's Tale: a fantastic and heartbreaking tragedy about the inevitability of time and mortality
Best Boy: Tabitha's Mightyena, aka the BEST boy, a charming, funny and heartwarming story in which a good dog gets headpats
Go: Pokemon Go meets real world, and a heartwarming friendship ensues​

 

[Phoenixsong]

Weekly Fic Rec: Big Fish by kyeugh
This was a fun one! It's fairly short and sweet and simple but it packs in a lot of fun banter and creative solutions to tricky battle situations, with every beat in its place. Wallace is a treat to read in this as he reacts to being very out of his element, somehow in spite of the fact that he is literally in his element, lol. The way he bounces off the characters and situations in each section is fantastic.

It was also written in imitation of Panoramic_Vacuum's style so hey, bonus points, it's like you're getting a kyeugh fic and a Pano fic all in one! (Also, it's definitely a shipping fic. There are ships in it, 100%. Trust me on this.)

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Heya, cutting it a bit close this time since there's a little under 18 hours on the clock for Review Blitz, and I had a bit of choice paralysis narrowing things down, but I thought it over and figured that in the end that after filtering out fics that I'd already recommended earlier this Review Blitz (still loved them, but figured it was better to give attention to newer faces), there was one fic in particular that stood out to me most this week:

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 4​

mountains will never - This one-shot was part of the crop of Legendary PoV fics from 2023's Aeons and Avatars contest, which is a one-shot that is in turns somber, melancholy, touching, and heartwarming about Yveltal being reborn in the wake of the Ultimate Weapon's firing in XY's backstory. Things go down, incredibly lifelike statue gardens are made, and a death condor comes back to life, not quite as the soul that it used to be.

There's only so much about the story that can be said without heavily spoiling its plot, but it's a genuinely touching glimpse of someone thrust into the role of having to become a psychopomp with some help from the Yveltal-that-Was, their interactions with the various souls they come along the way, and their journey to try and piece together fragments of their own past.

This one seems to have slid under the radar this Review Blitz since it was reviewed all of twice during the event. But if you have time to spare for a little under 6,000 words, you could do a lot worse for reading material to help send the past month of reviewing off for the year.

Honorable Mentions

Morsels of Heartwarming by @Cresselia92 , Shepard Tones by @tomatorade , Making It Big by @Pen , Shadows Cast By Time by @kyeugh

 

[Starlight Aurate]

All right, for my Week 4 recommendation, I have Poison and Pecha Berries, which is a well-written look at how Odette fares after being assaulted and ends up killing her assaulter (note the content warnings at the start of the index). Sinderella doesn't hold back in showing just how deeply wounded people are left by being assaulted at the deepest level, and Odette is a traumatized, broken mess who is too ashamed to be around others but desperately doesn't want to be left alone. After a run-in with a poisoned Mimikyu, Odette starts to find healing by realizing that she isn't so different from the wounded Pokemon.

It's a very raw depiction of the effects of assault and violation, and so I while I would caution more sensitive viewers, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who feels up to read content this heavy.

 

[Arukona]

My fic recommendation for this week of Review Blitz is PMD: Rebirth by Shadow of Antioch. It's a PMD fic whose story as a concept is very much reminiscent of the dying days of the Roman Empire, and once you frame it like that, you can clearly see the signs of rot in the world that the fic takes place in. A weak emperor reliant on his father's deeds more than his own, the Urbe Empire's borders being breached regularly by foreign Pokémon known as Scum, and the rise of portal storms and Mystery Dungeons all make this setting feel like one of decay that'll probably result in ill consequences for all of the characters involved.

Speaking of which, those characters are something this fic delivers on very well. Flame the Charmeleon is very well depicted as an amnesiac protagonist that comes a dime a dozen in Mystery Dungeon titles, and his weak, frail constitution at the start makes him an easy source of sympathy. Alice the Dragonair is a sweetheart, and her friendliness to Flame makes her immediately likeable. And though Gaius comes across as rude and blunt for the first part, he eventually begins to mellow out as Flame earns his trust. There's also a great amount of 'love-to-hate' characters in this, from Commander Ariel to most of the cocky, condescending characters in the Imperial Army.

Definitely worth a read for its worldbuilding, characters, and would recommend for those who want a darker vibe of PMD.

 

[kintsugi]

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 4

Dragon's Dance by Pen

The story of how a loud-mouthed boy from the Dragon's Den becomes Champion Lance.

"Guy who has three of the most mythical and powerful pokemon known to the world at the time" is probably not the setpiece for an underdog story, but Pen really sells it--the dragons start out small, and unfortunately even when they're big, Lance's problems are not the kinds of things dragons can solve in the first place. There's some delightful juggling of tensions and expectations, everyone only makes the best decisions, and nothing goes wrong! For a little bit.

I think the real highlight of the fic for me is its worldbuilding--Kanto feels like a living, breathing character that is evolving with the times and reeling from its own political schisms, which plays hugely into Lance's decision to want to change it. On a micro scale there's a lot of wonderful little ramen shops that tend to be setpieces for incredibly good decisions.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Weekly Fic Rec: Pathways to Arcadia by Inkedust

Inke's been taunting us all with her unique and fascinating worldbuilding in Discord for long enough, and I'm glad I finally got a chance to sit down and give her fic a read. Pathways to Arcadia is a PMD fanfic that just oozes lovely prose, a weighty, fate-laden atmosphere and enticing worldbuilding, with what's shaping up to be an unusual cast of characters already met (such as the very elderly and very cranky protagonist) and others still on the way in the future. Bonus points if you're following along with the Heartache RP and have gotten to see a bit of Bellatrix there, but obviously you don't need to know any of that since it's about a different world—I want to know more about the mess Bella's spite has gotten her into just from the first chapter alone.

It's currently at three chapters plus an intro and a prologue, and they're all relatively short reads for all that they're packed with detail and personality, both for the characters and for the world. Take advantage of this now and get caught up! I know I'm looking forward to what comes next. (also PS Tetra get over here there's drowning whump.)

 

[Dragonfree]

Weekly Fic Rec: Searching for a Resolution by JFought

I went into this story pretty much entirely blind other than the fact it involved Keldeo, but I found it really interesting and engaging. This contest one-shot focuses on a Keldeo who long ago left behind the other Swords of Justice to become an adventurer in Liber, where sapient wild Pokémon in a world with humans have formed a PMD-esque society. Keldeo starts out with a more or less Lawful Good perspective, determined to help people in accordance with his role and jurisdiction as an adventurer - but finds himself wrestling with his sense of justice, and with his memories of the other Swords of Justice, who either didn't understand or actively resented his decision to leave them for Liber.

The worldbuilding here is really interesting, with sapient Pokémon who live animal-like lives in the wild as well as Pokémon who have founded a human-like society and the dynamics between the two, when both are ultimately the same with a difference of culture and upbringing. The story explores the implications of this and the perspectives of the Swords of Justice, as well as developing Keldeo's relationship with the other Swords in a very effective way. It starts a little slow, but it's a breezy read once it gets going, and the characterization is great.

 

[Flyg0n]

Weekly fic rec: Hoenn Short Stories collection by panoramic_vacuum

Short stories collection is a cream of the crop, perfectly delightful and heartwarming set of drabble collections cnetered around Steven and Hoenn's elite 4. Each story is packed with humor and tender moments, and lots of subtext and sprinkled throughout with great worldbuilding. It also perfectly expanded on its cast of characters, giving them so much depth and history in a way that feels so natural and builds upon canon. If you enjoy a story about found family, humor, and good vibes you absolutely must read this one. It does a great job fleshing out both humans and pokemon, and each one is only a few hundred words each. Pano is a master at telling stories in so few words.

 

[Negrek]

Annnnnd Review Blitz 2023 has now concluded! A huge thanks to everyone who participated in this event. Altogether we wrote 614 reviews, which is an incredible number! A huge thanks to you all, as well as to all of our volunteers who've kept things running smoothly.

Let's give a hearty round of applause for this year's leaderboard toppers: Spiteful Murkrow in first place with 222.5 points, K_S in second with 208 points, and HelloYellow17 in third with 186.25. Incredible scores all! Thanks so much for your hard work giving feedback over the past month.

Over the next couple of days I'll be putting out a post with some more in-depth stats around this year's Blitz, as well as a reflective thread for any feedback you'd like to give on the event.

In the meantime, the prize shop is open, and you have one week to claim rewards in the initial round of prizing! Then we'll run our fic rec raffle, and once those prizes have been awarded, the shop will remain open for one additional week for additional prize redemption, this time allowing players to donate points to others who may not have quite gotten enough to afford what they wanted out of the shop.

Thanks for another great year, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed our fifth Review Blitz.